Somalilandsun:The deputy commandant of Somaliland custodial corps Brigadier General
Hassan Ali Awad (Hassan Ali Dheere) has refuted claims that pirates
incarcerated at Hargeisa Maximum Prison have been tortured. These pirates were repatriated from the Seychelles in 2009 where they were serving their
sentences following their capture by international forces patrolling high
seas. This information was broadcasted by Radio Goobjoog a well known mouth
piece of the regime of president Farmajo of Somalia.

Speaking to Somaliland News Agency (SOLNA) Brigadier General Hassan stated
that it is very strange to here that three pirates recorded their voices on
mobile phones and sent the audio recording to Radio Goobjoog in Mogadishu.

“We were perplexed to hear this news of three prisoners sentenced by a
Seychelles court, who later on requested the Seychelles government to let
them complete their sentences in Hargeisa. Whatever they recorded let them
record we have in our possession a mobile phone smuggled into the prison
and some audio recorded.” Deputy prison commandant revealed.

The prison assistant boss confirmed that the prisoner s are under
international custody so the Hargeisa prison has no reason to torture them
calling the move a publicity stunt and baseless propaganda . Furthermore we
give them preferential treatment and their next of kin and traditional
elders based in Hargeisa are we aware as we have a close working
relationship. Those who finish their prison term are transported back to
their country.

“The allegations of these prisoners has dumbfounded us they are simply
baseless lies to attract sympathy.” Brigadier Hassan said.

When the prison commandant was asked about a prisoner who died at Hargeisa
prison he had this to say “That’s propaganda, Hargeisa prison is not the
former dungeon of former Somalia despot Chale Siad, it’s an open prison
whereby human right organizations and lawyers have access 24/7, and lawyers
are allowed unconditional contact with prisoners. A prisoner who has been
sentenced cannot be tortured that’s not true.”